Developing a just society based on equity and equal opportunities for all with respect for diversity.

Monday, July 22, 2013

All work and no play...

We've been working very hard here at the RAINS office so as part of the 20th anniversary celebrations of the organisation we took a trip to the Tamale Children's Home to spend the day with the children there. The day chosen for this event was the birthday of a very important statesman, Nelson Mandela. RAINS as an organization has strong links to Nelson Mandela as the building in which the organization is presently located was formally known as the Mandela center.

The objective of our visit to the orphanage was to give some items to the kids and also spend the day with them celebrating Mandela day. The Tamale Children's Home (also known as the Nyohini Children's Home) was established in 1969. It is a state establishment which is run by the department of social welfare. It currently has a population of 25 children, the youngest child is 5 months old and the oldest is 17.

We had a packed and fun filled day, starting with the introduction of the RAINS team to the children and staff of the orphanage. Mavis (a member of staff at Rains) gave a short presentation about RAINS and Nelson Mandela which highlighted just how much of an impact Mandela made on people he met. This gave us added hope that our visit would be a small reflection of the love which Mandela has encouraged us all to show one another.

After this, we were given a tour of the dormitories and other facilities they have at the orphanage. Beccy demonstrated her charm once again as she very quickly made friends with the children. The kids were really adorable and eager to play, so we moved outdoors to play with balloons and sing. It was so much fun as we found ourselves playing in the sand and singing along with them. We also had lunch together, which included an appearance from Sophie's favorite Ghanaian dish on the menu (Jollof).

After lunch we chilled out a bit and watched the presentation of the items we brought. These ranged from biscuits and drinks to toilet roll and even a water pistol! Overall it was a great and successful trip - nothing beats helping to put a smile on the faces of the children. Children are the love of my life, so those few hours meant a lot to me and the rest of the team.

Grace and myself have put together a little video of the trip, including an interview with the Orphanage manager. Enjoy!